End of first week in school brought along the mandatory flue, every child suffers from on stepping out of the cocoon of home. Luckily, in case of Pari it started on a Friday so she got rest over the weekend and didn’t have to miss school.

At the onset of Pari’s tantrums and absolute reluctance to go to school came a phase when my maternal instinct doubted something serious but the school totally denied existence of anything to worry about. I had a word with the principal and her class teacher but they all sang the same song “All’s well” in a well-practiced tune.

One fine afternoon around the third week, I was a few minutes late in reaching school to pick Pari after school. That was when I met one of her school nannies. Let’s name her M. It was a rare occasion when Pari had been escorted from class to where I’d been standing by a nanny and not one of the teachers.

That fateful afternoon I asked a question I have been in habit of asking her school staff. “How has Pari been doing at school?” and the reply was a shocking revelation. M replied “Pari hadn’t vomited that particular morning”. I was dumbstruck, panicked and confused all at once. On slight probing M revealed that Pari had been vomiting every morning after I dropped her to school cause she used to cry so hard and the same would happen around her lunch time.

I was very annoyed at the fact that this was not told to me despite its regular repetition.  With the school teachers conveniently denying existence of anything worrisome, constantly, I decided to keep my calm and work around the available information. M has been particularly caring and loving towards Pari. She helped me tide through that tough phase taking extra care of my child and slowly our boat sailed to calmer waters.

Being a mother, I have learnt to always pay heed to my gut instincts & not be dissuaded by what the school staff says. Well, almost.

In the days that followed Pari was introduced to crayons & use of pencil in its initial stages. That changed the dynamics of Pari’s liking for school. She seems to have been smitten by the crayons enough to start loving school because of them.

This was the first time in life when the thought, “Like misfortune, sometimes good luck too doesn’t arrive alone” struck me.Soon started the preparations for Annual Day at school. Given to her immense love for dancing, on day one she was selected for the dance and couple of days later in the fashion show.

The next two months have flown past in a breeze with Pari looking forward to go to school everyday only to get to dance with her friends and have lots of fun.

Though these two months have sailed past smoothly in terms of her growing fondness for school, but on a personal front she has faced sickness, very severe to make me get real worried every single time. (Details on that are coming up in a different post as it has its roots in other problems we have been facing).

Among the many challenges parents and pre-schoolers face, prime is the parent learning to let go off his/her child free. Free to learn the ways of the world, letting go off their hand and making friends with teachers. I had initially been under the misconception that I was going to be a cool mum who won’t panic over seemingly trifle issues.

But, like all parents of the world I have been no different. I too panicked and worried beyond limits on many occasions, but I think we (i.e. Pari & I) have managed through the start-up trouble phase.

Two major issues that made Pari’s initial days at school difficult were her strong disinterest in food that kept her hungry and sparked her tantrums. Second, being her limited verbal skills. Pari has a very limited vocabulary at her age when kids in her class talk as fluently as adults do.

Not speaking much has been one of the major roadblocks why I had taken longer than other parents in getting Pari admitted in a pre-school. I wanted her to be able to talk (atleast the basic) to convey to her peers and teachers if she was in distress, needed help or simply learn and recite with her classmates. (again, further details on Pari’s milestones is coming in a separate post).

Today, Pari has completed three months of her school life and looking back I can see her having morphed into someone very different from what she was in December when she started her school journey. I am aware that at this age kids grow and change by the minute, but still I’d like to give full credit to her school staff in bringing about many positive changes in my child.

The song on my mind: Tera Saath hai to mujhe kya kami hai ~ Pyasa Sawan